Summary:

We move back aboard this Delta A320…to row 2. Our previous reviews of bulkhead seats in first have been fairly good, but do the others in this cabin measure up?

Airline: DeltaAircraft: Airbus A320Row: 2 Seat: BClass: First

These seats are not familiar with the word “slim”. First class seat aboard a Delta A320.

The Seat: This seat isn’t perfect. It’s not fancy, it doesn’t twirl or slide across the floor like the one in my office. It doesn’t have a foot rest (anymore) or lumbar massage or a rear-end warmer. But like an old friend it seems to know me and how my needs are changing. It’s wide for my slowly growing mid-section, has an admittedly yellowing but wide center console so that my increasingly grumpy older self can keep a distance from strangers, and provides enough legroom for my coffee-stunted height. Hello old pal.

If you’re over 6 feet you may start to feel a bit cramped up here but there aren’t many (if any) seats wider than these on a domestic US hop. All things considered this is a pretty comfortable spot for up to a few hours.

Service: I loved the crew here. Generous pours of wine had us a little woozy by mid-flight. The “get em good and loaded” service approach worked this time around (and most times if we don’t have to drive post-flight). Our captain came out before the flight and in-person briefed each cabin on the days flight time, route, weather and more. A nice touch.

Summary: This plane had been used very frequently between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and my hometown of Minneapolis/St.Paul by Northwest Airlines for years. After being eaten up by Delta, some remain on this route and it’s still our favorite from New York, second only to the less frequent Sun Country service from JFK.

Rating: 3 hops (of 5)

Strategy: If you’ve achieved lower level elite status with Delta, your best bet is to fly on a weekend when business travelers are typically not flying. The first class cabin on this A320 has just 16 seats total so it will be harder to grab an upgrade during the week. Any open seats in first will be awarded by level of status and then offered for paid upgrade on rare occasion. Upper level elites (Platinum, Diamond Medallion) are generally a lot more successful with weekday upgrades, but it’s never guaranteed.